Downtown Indianapolis Welcomes Spring With a Mix of Sports and Arts

Monument Circle Idea Competition - entries due April 15
Monument Circle is where we gather to celebrate and commemorate and merits maximum attention, creativity and vision. The Monument Circle Idea Competition is designed to bring forward ideas and inspire community thinking to help re-imagine Monument Circle and how we want to use the space for the next 20-30 years. Anyone is invited to submit an idea by April 15. All competition entries must be submitted digitally to the Monument Circle Idea Competition Web site. Submittals require a $30 entry fee and four images to illustrate the idea. The ideas that are generated will be used to inform planning efforts and incorporate meaningful input into concepts as they are developed locally.

Monument Circle trees get spring makeover
Seventy-one trees on Monument Circle are getting a spring makeover as the old light strands are replaced with new lights April 4 - 8. Indianapolis Downtown, Inc. (IDI) has partnered with Barth Electric Company, Inc., ERMCO Electric Inc., Miller Eads Co. Inc. and Long Electric Company, Inc. (all Quality Connection contractors) to get the job done. The trees will also be pruned.

Basketball first... then baseball is back!
First thing, get your share of college basketball with the NCAA Women's Final Four at Conseco Fieldhouse April 1 - 5. Friday through Tuesday is jam packed with fan events that range from Tourney Town at the Indiana Convention Center to a Scotty's Brewhouse tent party to the WBCA High School All-American game. The semi-finals are April 3 and the championship game is April 5.

The boys of summer are ready to swing into action. The Indianapolis Indians' season opener is April 7 against the Columbus Clippers. The opener will include a fantastic fireworks show following the game and a 2011 Indians schedule magnet giveaway to the first 5,000 fans. The Indians have guaranteed a game-time temperature of at least 60 degrees! If it's not, everyone at the game receives a FREE ticket to another April home game. The popular Monday Dollar menu returns with $1 hot dogs, peanuts, Cracker Jacks, popcorn and potato chips. Enjoy Indianapolis Star Two for One Tuesdays, Thursday Value Packs, Friday Night Fireworks, ZOOper Zaturdays, Souvenir Sundays and several Business Day games.

The Indiana Pacers wraps up its 2010-2011 regular season with four home games April 1, 6, 8, & 10. Cheer on the team at Conseco Fieldhouse.

Celebrating spring
April is host to both Earth Day and Arbor Day. Celebrate mother Earth at White River State Park April 23 at the Earth Day Indiana Festival with live music and food. Learn how important trees are to the Indy community at the Indiana State Museum's Arbor Day Celebration April 29.

Hit the ground running
April presents several excuses to get outside and enjoy the new season, starting with the 500 Festival Training Series - 15K April 9 at the NCAA Hall of Champions. Come out for the Walk For Water April 10 or the Best Buddies 5k April 17. Walkers and runners alike can move for a cause with the 20th Annual Komen Indianapolis Race for the Cure April 16 at IUPUI, the Matt Breman Memorial Walk & Run to End Child Abuse April 23 at Buggs Temple or the Walk MS: Indianapolis April 30 also at IUPUI.

WOW- A Wondrous Opening Weekend
The Indiana Landmarks Center will celebrate its grand opening weekend April 16 and 17. Sunday, April 17 is the FREE, public Open House or check out the Classical Bash featuring the Landmark Trio for $75 that afternoon.

Bon apptit
Downtown hosts a menu chock full of dining activities this April. Easley Winery will be dishing out live music, food and wine specials for Groovin on Ice April 2. Learn the ins and outs of kitchen gardens at Kitchen Garden Renaissance at the Indianapolis Museum of Art's Tobias Theatre April 14. Last call for the Indy Winter Farmer's Market! The weekly Saturday market will have its last day of the season April 30.

Artsy spots
Discover some of Indy's local art hot spots this spring. A new exhibit opens at the Indianapolis Museum of Art (IMA) April 22. Material World will feature textiles from around the world and highlight the significance of textiles in displaying wealth, status and power. See the other great exhibits at the IMA including the work of Thornton Dial.

The Central Library hosts the Notable Arts Collection of 2011 April 4 - 30. Learn about the German-American immigrant experience in Indiana during World War I at Art for the Nation demo: Immigration, the German-American Experience on April 28.

Get a behind the scenes view at the Stutz Artist Open House April 29 & 30 where you can see the work of 70 local artists, as well as where and how the work is created.

Also check out Red Black: Related Through History at the Eiteljorg Museum of American Indians & Western Art, Incredible Costumes from Film and TV at The Children's Museum of Indianapolis and Hard Truths: The Art of Thorton Dial at the Indianapolis Museum of Art.

In the spotlight for April
Head to Hilbert Circle Theatre as the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra presents Sibelius 2 April 1 & 2, Tchaikovsky 3 April 7 - 9, Stuart McLean and the Vinyl Caf April 10, Bach's Mass in B Minor April 15 & 16 and Sylvia McNair and the Four Freshman April 29 & 30.

The Cabaret at The Columbia Club hosts an Intimate Evening with Melissa Manchester April 2 and The History of Jazz with the Indy Jazz Fest Band April 22.

See Victorian Theatre by Candlelight: "Murder Most Merry" at the Benjamin Harrison Presidential Site throughout April. On April 9 hear the melodic voices of Celtic Woman at the Old National Centre or rock out to Broadway Across America's Rock of Ages at Clowes Memorial Hall April 12 - 17. Ensemble Music: Quartuor Ebene will be at the Glick History Center April13.

Die from laughter at the Indiana Repertory Theatre with a take on a Hitchcock classic, The 39 Steps starting April 20. Celebrate and gently spoof the Circle City's love affair with all things Indy 500 at the Phoenix Theatre starting April 28 with The Zippers of Zoomerville.